Reclosable carton



June 14, 1949. F. 0-. S HINA RECLOSABLE CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1945 F/M WK 0. S/fl/VA,

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June 1 1949.. F. CQSHINA 2,473,492

RECLOSABLE CARTON Filed Aug. 1, 1945 I '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 14, 1949 RECLOSABLE CARTON Frank G. Shina, Thomson, N. Y., assignor to United Board & Carton Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 1, 1945, Serial No. 608,168

This invention relates to a reclosable carton for the packaging of facial tissues, paper napkins, paper towels and similar items. More particularly, the invention relates to such a carton with an integral reclosure flap which will effectively seal the carton from the time it leaves the packing plant until it reaches the home of the ultimate consumer and which will also effectively seal the carton, after intermittent partial withdrawals of same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reclosable carton having a closure flap which is readily partially separated from the body of the carton and may be repeatedly returned to closed position after intermittent withdrawals of part ofthe contents of the carton.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a carton having such a reclosure flap wherein the manner of initially partially separating the reclosure flap from the body of the carton and the manner of returning same to closed position after each intermittent withdrawal of the contents of the carton will be readily apparent to persons of little mechanical aptitude, such as the average housewife.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a carton and an integral reclosure flap with novel means for repeatedly securing the reclosure flap to the carton after the initial partial severing of the reclosure flap from the body of the carton.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carton and an integral reclosure flap which can be made from a single sheet of material by a minimum number of manufacturing operations.

Still other objects, advantages, and improvements will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the blank from which the carton and integral reclosure flap are made after completion of the stamping operation, this view showing the side of the blank which will form the interior of the carton after assembly;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the carton in assembled form showing the reclosure flap in open position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the reclosure flap in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a view on the section line 44 of Fig. 3 but showing the reclosure flap at a slightl different angle with respect to the top of the carton; and

Fig. 5 is a view on the section line 5-5 of Fig. 3

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) 2 showing the reclosure flap in closed and secured position.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, this latter figure shows, as previously stated, the blank after being stamped and prior to the carton being assembled therefrom. For the material of the carton it is preferable to use foldable boxboard, this material being selected for its qualities of strength and resiliency, but obviously other materials known to the container art could be used, if desired. The blank comprises four panels, top panel Ill, side panel l2, bottom panel It and side panel 16, and a partial underpanel or sill l8 contiguous to and integral with the side panel It; the partial under panel or sill i8 is also known in the art as a glue flap. The top panel ill adjoins the side panel l2 in a crease line H, the side panel l2 adjoins the bottom panel M in a crease line l3, the bottom panel I l adjoins the side panel iii in a crease line l5, and the side panel l6 adjoins the glue flap l8 in a crease line H. Additional crease lines [9 and 20 extend crossways of the four panels. forming the ends thereof, these crease lines being coincident with the ends of the glue flap l8, respectively. The crease line I9 forms an end flap M on the top panel ill, an end fiap 23 on the side panel it, an end flap 25 on the bottom panel it, and an end flap 2! on the side panel l6; similarly, the crease line 20 forms an end flap 22 on the top panel to, an end flap 24 on the side panel I2, an end flap 26 on the bottom panel i l, and an end flap 28 on the side panel It. The end flaps 2| and 23, re spectively, are separated along continuations of the crease line H between the top pane1 it and the side panel H. The end flaps 23 and 25 and 24 and 26, respectively, are separated along the crease line 13 between the side panel I2 and the bottom panel M, and the end flaps 25 and 27 and 26 and 28, respectively, are separated along continuations of the crease line I5 between the bottom panel It and the side panel Hi.

The top panel In is coated on its under face along a rectangular area adjacent its outer edge with an adhesive 29, preferably a pressure responsive adhesive. If desired, however, this coating of adhesive may be placed on the glue flap l8 adjacent the crease line ll between the glue flap and the side panel Hi. The end flaps 23 and 24 of the side panel l2 and 21 and 28 on the side panel I6, respectively, may or may not be coated on their outer surfaces with a suitable adhesive, depending upon whether the carton is to contain a coarse granular material, such for instance as rice, or a finely comminuted material, such as cocoa. The end flaps 25 and 26 on the bottom panel l4 are coated on their outer surfaces, beyond the dotted lines 3| and 32, respectively, with a suitable adhesive.

The blank is preferably first stamped from a suitable sheet of material and then creased along the lines l3, l5, l1, l9 and 20. Either before or after the stamping and creasing operations any desired printed matter, such as the name, address, and trade-mark of the manufacturer, or any recipes or other directions for opening the carton, if desired, may be imprinted on the blanks.

A reclosure flap 33 is formed partially by two scored lines 34 and 35 in the top panel ill extending for about three-quarters of the width of the top panel from the crease line H between the top panel and the side panel l2, these lines being parallel to the crease lines l9 and 20 forming the ends of the panel and disposed on opposite sides of a cross center line through the panel. In the assembled relationship of the carton, the scored lines 34 and 35 extend slightlybeyond the outermost edge of the glue fiap l8 so that the latter also functions as a sill so as to prevent the reclosure fiap 33 from being pushed inwardly of the carton. The top panel H] is out along the end sections of a line 36 which is parallel to the crease lines II and I1 between the top panel and the side panel I2 and the side panel l6 and the glue flap l8, respectively, this line being connected with the ends of the scored lines 34 and 35 in rounded corners 31 which are also cut through the top panel Ill.

A finger tab 39 is partially formed by two parallel cut lines 40 and 4| in the top panel l0, these latter lines being disposed on either side of the cross center line of the panel and extending from the cut line 36 in parallel relationship to the scored lines 34 and 35. The out line 36 is discontinued along the base of the tab and replaced by a crease line. A out line 42 in the top panel, likewise parallel to the crease lines II and I1, joins the outer ends of the cut lines 40 and 4| completing the finger tab.

A detent tab 43 is formed as a cut arc in the top panel l0, this are having its chord or base on the crease line 36 between the reclosure flap 33 and the finger tab 39, this are being disposed toward the crease line between the top panel l and the side panel l2 and also being disposed symmetrically with respect to the cross center line of the top panel H).

An opening 44 providing clearance for the finger nail of the user of the carton when manipulating the finger tab 39 is formed as an arcuate cut-away section in the top panel Ill, this arc having its chord or base on the cut line 42 between the finger tab 39 and the adjoining section of the top panel l0, and being symmetrically disposed with respect to the cross center line of the top panel and positioned towards the crease line I! between the side panel l6 and the glue flap l6, when the carton is in assembled relationship.

A keeper slot for the detent tab 43 is formed as cut 45 disposed parallel to and adjacent the outer edge of the glue flap or sill l8 and equally disposed on either side of the cross center line of the glue flap; continuation cuts 46-46 are formed on either end of the cut 45, these being disposed 4 finger tab 39, detent tab 43, and the finger receiving opening 44 in the top panel l0, and the keeper slot 45-46 in the glue flap or sill i8 have been described above with respect to an imaginary cross center line of the top panel and glue flap, it should be apparent that such description is merely for the purpose of convenience, and,-

should the reclosure flap 33 be desired in a position closer to either the crease lines i9 or 20 between the panels and the end flaps, it could accordingly be shifted.

In assembling the carton, the blank is folded to rectangular (or square) cross section with the glue flap l8 underlying the top panel It, the latter seating upon the adhesively coated surface 29 of the glue flap. The formed blank is then held in this position, under appropriate pressure, until the adhesive has set, thereby securing the top panel Ill and the side panel l6 together. After this has been done, either the end fiaps 2 I, 25, 23 and 21 or 22, 26, 24, and 28 may be considered one end of the carton and the second set the other end. The carton is then placed on a mandrel with say the set of end flaps 2 |2 52 3- 21 in lowermost position. The end flap 23 on the side panel |2 will then be folded inwardly at right angles to the panel and then the end flap 21 on the side panel I6; next the end flap 2| on the top panel ill will be folded inwardly at right angles to the panel and then the end fiap 25 on the bottom panel I 4. If the end flaps 23 and 21 have been previously coated with a suitable adhesive on their outer surfaces, as willbe the case when the carton is to contain finely comminuted material, the end flaps 2| and 25 will adhere thereto. In either event the end fiap 25 will adhere to the end flap 2| along the underlying surface of the latter, this surface being indicated on its inner boundary by the dotted line 3| and, as previously stated, being adhesively coated over this area. The adhering of the end fiaps 2| and 25 together will securely retain the underlying end flaps 23 and 21 in place regardless of whether or not adhesive coating has been provided on the outer surfaces of the latter for securing same to the former. A

The carton is then lined with the usual oil or waxed paper and is then ready ,for filling which latter is preferably done in an automatic machine.

After the carton has been filled, the second set of end flaps 2226-24-28 will be closed and sealed in much the same manner as the first.

When the customer receives the carton from the store and desires to use some of the contents of same, the reclosure flap 33 may be separated from the top panel l0 along the lines of scoring 34 and 35 by cutting with a knife or other suitable at an angle of approximately sixty (60) degrees instrument or simply tearing. The reclosure flap is then raised to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the usual lining of oil or waxed paper destroyed over the area underlying the reclosure flap. The contents of the carton may now be removed either partially or totally. To again close the carton the finger tab 39 is positioned at an angle to the reclosure flap 33, as shown in Fig. 4 (it will be in a position already if the reclosure ilap has been opened by same). The reclosure flap is swung downwardly, the detent tab 43 inserted in the keeper slot 45 in the glue flap or sill I8, and then the finger tab 39 is swung downwardly to lie substantially in the plane of the reclosure flap, as shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the glue flap l8 extends inwardly from the side panel l6 beyond the out line 36 which forms the outer boundary of the reclosure flap 33 and thus Having described the invention, what is claimedas new is:

1. A blank for reclosabie cartons comprising a rectangular bottom panel having sides and ends, front and rear side panels extending from the sides of the bottom panel and divided therefrom by fold lines, and panels extending from the ends of the bottom panel and divided therefrom by fold lines, a sealing strip extending from the free edge of the front side panel and divided therefrom by a fold line, a top panel extending from the free edge of the rear side panel and divided therefrom by a fold line, and flaps extending from the ends of the front and rear side panels and divided therefrom by fold lines, said top panel having window portion extending from the fold line between the top panel and the rear side panel, said window portion being partially severed toward the free edge of the top panel and being divided along weakened lines running from the partially severed part back to the fold line between the top panel and rear side panel, said window portion having a partially severed tab adjacent the free edge of the top panel, said sealing strip having a locking tab adjacent its free edge and divided by a severed substantially U-shaped line, and end flaps extending from the ends of the top panel and divided therefrom by fold lines.

2-. A carton constructed from the blank of claim 1 and having the side panels erected at right angles to the bottom panel and the end panels erected at right angles to the bottom panel, the

end flaps on the side panels being folded to overlap on the outer sides of the end panels, the sealing strip being folded inwardly of the front side panel and the top panel being folded to have its free edge engage on top of the sealing strip with the locking tab in interlockin position, and the end flaps on the top panel being folded downwardly over the end flaps on the side panels, the end panels and end flaps being adhesively secured and the top panel being adhesively secured to the sealing strip.

FRANK C. SHINA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,953,385 Auch Apr. 3, 1934 2,102,497 Trogman Dec. 14, 1937 2,151,202 Guyer Mar. 21, 1939 2,270,617 Bennett Jan. 20, 1942 2,326,527 Emmerich Aug. 10, 1943 2,360,415 Gilbert Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4 353,724 Italy Oct. 27, 1937 

